Amtrak operates two trains per day with stops at Mendota.
Mike Cerveny with the Union Depot Railroad Museum in Mendota explains:
Each day at 9:00AM and 7:30PM you can catch trains in Mendota going both East and West to Chicago or Galesburg at the Amtrak Mendota stop. Those trains look like Amtrak but are operated by the Illinois Department of Transportation. They are on time generally speaking.
Mike Cerveny’s passion is railroading. You can find him every weekend at the Union Depot Railroad Museum.
Once a much larger complex called the Union Depot in Mendota, it was torn down in 1942 except for the north end which today serves as an Amtrak waiting room and Museum.
Their mission is to preserve and share with others the Mendota area’s rich railroad history which includes the CB&Q, the Illinois Central, and the Milwaukee Road.
Saturday and Sunday noon to 4:00pm you can find railroad related experiences at the Mendota Union Depot Museum including interactive displays and fresh programs and displays.
Tickets are no longer sold at the Amtrak stop in Mendota. Mike says they were available up until just recently. Currently you need to pre-purchase all train tickets on line and the conductor will scan your phone once you board.
Hours at the museum are Saturday and Sunday noon to 4:00pm.